Welcome to My Paper World

I love paper!
For me paper holds endless creative possibilities. The most mundane and practical material is magically transformed into something festive, designed, different from its original purpose. In my studio, located in a small town in Israel, I spend my days happily exploring paper and discovering the possibilities and worlds that it can create.
When I first opened KWALA, in 2003, I worked exclusively with paper mache. I sculpted paper mache figures on photo albums, creating a naive, childish, imagination-filled and colorful world.
With time I added new materials to accompany the paper mache - seeds, pods, roots and other found natural materials which I often collect in the fields and woods surrounding my home.
The combination of paper mache and natural materials gave birth to a new type of sculptures, filled with expression and emotion. Each individual sculpture is unique, created spontaneously with no pre-planning - taking on form and life under my fingers, straight from the heart.
Last year I discovered the joy of working with parchment paper. I love baking, and after one of my baking sessions (I adore yeast cakes) I suddenly began looking at the parchment sheets in a new light. The translucency of the paper ignited my imagination, with each crease and fold in the paper creating new shades and hues.
After many studio trials, folding and playing around, my paper lampshades were born.
I am always on the lookout for new materials, keeping my imagination active and my creativity alive.
I am happy to welcome you to my shop and to my world.

Galia and the Kwalas